'Obi-Wan Kenobi' Episode 3: "Part III" Recap and Review

The Darkside catches up to Obi-Wan and Leia as they run for their lives searching for any help they can get

WARNING: Contains Spoilers

As the third episode opens, momentum has slowed to a crawl compared to the conclusion of the first two parts, but by the end of the episode, we are literally running through blaster fire and clashing lightsabers to the end. ‘Part III’ is an exercise in escalation, quiet moments give the audience a chance to breath but slowly tensions rise until they ultimately boil over. Objectively the episode could have benefited from being combined with the previous due to both being light on story but the final moments in each make the splitting in two justifiable. As for the looming presence of a certain dark lord, his return is both welcomed yet odd as he feels like a different character in every new iteration since the original trilogy. His movement, look, and characterization is different enough to be only semi-noticeable but overall similar enough to make it seem off, similar to the Uncanny Valley. A tad bit of drop off in quality but that is to be expected when your premier episode was one of the best to be presented, the only way to go is down.

The episode begins in the cargo ship on which Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) and Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) escaped Third Sister on. Obi-Wan meditates and tries to connect with his deceased master while thoughts of Anakin, now Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) cloud his mind. In Vader’s Castle, he confronts Third Sister (Moses Ingram) with an incentive, find Obi-Wan and become the new Grand Inquisitor but fail and she will not live to regret it. As the ship approaches its destination, Obi-Wan briefly alludes to the nature of the force before presenting her with her newly fixed droid Lola. They find themselves on a mostly barren mining planet littered with Imperial outposts. Elsewhere, the remaining Inquisitors meet about the next steps to finding Obi-Wan. Third Sister and Fifth Brother (Sung Kang) clash over leadership but they send out probes to different planets to find Obi-Wan. They head to the meeting point given to them by Haja but no one is there. In haste for help, Leia flags down a transport driven by Freck (Zach Braff). Freck offers them a ride to the nearest port but they quickly discover that he is an Imperial sympathizer. Freck continues to ask details about them before giving a ride to several Storm Troopers as well. The Troopers are in searching for a Jedi and almost catch on to Obi-Wan’s ruse but they manage to avoid discovery. Freck takes them to an Imperial checkpoint because of suspicions of the two. The Troopers do not trust Obi-Wan in the slightest and a Probe Droid comes in to scan him. Obi-Wan is forced to take out the troopers and probe, they try to escape but a transport with several troopers and an Imperial officer roll up. All seems lost until the officer takes out the Troopers. It turns out she is a rebel by the name of Tala (Indira Varma) who was supposed to be their contact on the planet. She takes them to a nearby town. The Inquisitors receive the signal from the probe and head to the planet. Tala takes Obi-Wan and Leia to a safe house guarded by a mute Loader droid, NED-B. Behind a hidden door is a room connected to a tunnel that will lead them to safety, Obi-Wan notices a note led by fellow Jedi Quinlan Vos. A group of Stormtroopers search the safehouse but NED-B keeps the secret. They prepare to leave, but Obi-Wan feels a presence. Outside are the Inquisitors and the Intimating Darth Vader. Vader strolls through the Town, terrorizing and murdering the townsfolk along the way. Obi-Wan sends Leia and Tala away while Obi-Wan distracts Vader. Obi-Wan leads Vader to a quarry while the inquisitors search the town. Vader stalks Obi-Wan, playing with is prey, before the two cross lightsabers. Third Sister searches the safe house in the meantime as Leia and Tala flee. Obi-Wan is no match for Vader in his current state and Leia convinces Tala to help him so she turns back and Leia goes off on her own. Out of options Obi-Wan squares off with Vader but he is too strong, Vader ignites the ground below and drags Obi-Wan through the fire. Storm Troopers descend on Obi-Wan but he is saved by Tala and NED-B. Vader can only watch as Obi-Wan is dragged to safety. Leia reaches the end of the Tunnel but waiting for her is Third Sister, who takes her.

Though the through line of this episode seems to be getting from A to B there are a few subtle moments that speak volumes about the characters. Shout out to this week’s surprise cameo Zack Braff from Scrubs. Obi-Wan opens the episode by asking Qui-Gon Jinn for help. Qui-Gon is of course his mentor who met his demise in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and is played by Liam Neeson. This is reference to the training that Master Yoda gave to Obi-Wan at the end of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith but could also lead to a cameo by Liam Neeson at the end of the series. Neeson has stated publicly that he would only return in a movie but this could just be a way to throw off expectations. Leia continues to figure out Obi-Wan’s history with her family, going as far as asking him if he was her real father. Leia’s rebellious nature is also teased with her admiration and interest in Tala. Darth Vader has returned and although he sounds the same and acts the same he feels different. From his Juggernaut take in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to his god like presence in the videogame Jedi: Fallen Order each version of Vader has felt slightly different in his abilities and appearance. This version brings back Hayden Christiansen to don the helmet but the suit seems a tad ill-fitting, almost loose and his movement and attack style feel more human like as opposed to unstoppable robot. What hasn’t changed is his sadistic nature. Vader torments the townsfolk while searching for Obi-Wan, going as far as snapping the neck of a teen who was trying to help his father, whose throat was being crushed… by Vader. He is no less terrifying in this iteration than any other but just feels different. Then there is the Third Sister. Figuring out her backstory may be built to be the mystery of the series. She definitely has a history as a Jedi but her turn to the darkside and hatred for Obi-Wan are intriguing to say the least. She has a lust for power that makes her extremely unhinged and effective as an inquisitor. A lot of ill-spirited opinions have been made of Moses Ingram’s performance but truth is she is no less unhinged or over the top than say Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux. Her performance is very one-tracked but that is exactly why she fits this villainous role.

Halfway through this series and we have hit the low point for our titular hero. Obi-Wan was pummeled and toyed with by his former apprentice which left him beat up and burnt while Leia is now in the hands of the terrifying Third Sister. Although this episode and the previous slowed the story momentum to a near halt, only build can come now. The story seems to be setting up a few moments that are worth the wait; Obi-Wan verses Vader part two, the reveal of Third Sister’s backstory, Obi-Wan’s connection to Qui-Gon, and full Leia’s trust and awe of Obi-Wan. From here we watch as the remaining story unfolds and place our trust in the force and Deborah Chow that the series ends as well as it began.

GRADE: [B]